Venger's Missing Horn
by Jan Lee
Summary: ONESHOT. In the middle of his play for power, he is interrupted.


Disclaimer: I don't own Dungeons and Dragons cartoon.

A/N: Ever wonder what the deal is with Venger's _one_ horn? Well, here's what _I_ think happened. It's just something that came to me while I was working on my other fic.

**Venger's Missing Horn**

A handsome, tall man stood hunched over a scarred, thick text. He was young compared to his mentor and father…only a few hundred years old. And for the last two hundred of those years, his time had been spent in search of this one book.

It was the Book of Ancients.

The power was palpable. Just running his fingers over the yellowed, thick pages was enough to cause him to shiver. There was immortality between these pages, ancient, powerful magic that would put the Realm…nay, the _universe_ in the palm of his hand. Oh, he had hungered for this moment.

Carefully, deliberately, he thumbed through the pages. He had trained many years in secret to read and translate the ancient runes that now held the key to his deepest, darkest wish. He would relish this moment.

Many hours passed. The magical candles that threw light and shadow over the subterranean chamber burned faithfully for the studious man.

He did not leave his post, not for food or drink. He read every page, every rune, examined every graphic.

It was on the last page.

He couldn't help the butterflies in his stomach, the sudden thumping of his heart against his ribs. All his long years, all his hopes, dreams, wishes, secrets, all came down to this last page. It was the last spell in the book compiled by powerful mages, good and evil alike.

How many people did he have to bribe and intimidate? How many puzzles and mysteries did he have to sift through? How many lies had he told to those who trusted him?

It all had been worth it.

Slowly, so slowly, he read through the spell once, twice, three times. It had to be perfect, and no error could be made. It was a simple spell really, a pact with the living magic of the Realm, a bondage to it that could not be broken.

However, there needed to be preparations and specifics to make the spell last. He deftly calculated the time it would take…it would only be five years until he could perform the spell.

Until then, he would leave the chamber and gather what he needed.

Five years passed quickly. The man returned, wearing sweeping black robes accented with angry red. He carried with him a box containing all that was required for the spell.

At last. At last he would obtain all that he wished for.

Lovingly he laid out the tools he needed. By the time everything was set, it would be time to begin the spell.

The knife that had slain 100 people.

The diamond taken from a mother's jewelry box.

A lamb's head.

The horn of a unicorn.

The fang of a dragon.

He set these items on a floor drawn with an ancient circle decorated at intervals with runes. Each item had a place.

At the center of the circle, the ageless man raised his arms to the dark ceiling. He started the spell.

It was thrilling. The words were a love he never had; it was deep, swelling organ music vibrating his lungs and heart. The air purified, mystified, simplified. The entire place shook, rattling from the foundations to the eve-runners.

Light and color swirled, intensified, and curled into shapes unknown to man and beast alike. It was rapture, bliss, and deep, throbbing magic.

He felt the power change him, agonizing and revitalizing. The spell was almost cast, just one more incantation…

"This is not what you have been taught," a wizened, serene voice told him. It broke his concentration, but not before he finished the final incantation. The smallish, white-haired mage stood sternly on the outer loops of the circle.

"It matters not, I am now all powerful! Bow to me or suffer the consequences!" the newly changed mage challenged. He pointed a pale, cold hand tipped in sharp claws at the old man, Dungeon Master. "For I…_am_…VENGER!"

"Venger, is it now? Have you been so hungry for power? So greedy to put others under your foot? It will not be as easy as you think," Dungeon Master told his former pupil. He held up a red horn. "Your spell is not complete."

Venger lifted a hand to his head. He found one horn, but not the other.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" he snarled, feeling his new fangs against his lips. His power was greatly increased, but he had not obtained complete omnipotence. He flung out his arm, shooting a great flash of light that exploded the entire wall out of the chamber and deep into the earth.

But Dungeon Master was no longer there.

"DAMN YOU, DUNGEON MASTER!" Venger bellowed in a voice that thundered like a storm over lands and chilled the blood of the creatures within range. As long as it took, Venger vowed to destroy Dungeon Master and find his horn.

A/N: If you liked it, please review. If you didn't, review anyway, just to make me glad I wrote it.


End file.
